Click on Local Folders and then go offline and try.

If still no joy, move any messages you wish to save out of all default
folders to local folders you create, delete the rest and try again.

Also try compacting one folder at a time in necessary.

General precautions for Outlook Express:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your
mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until
the compacting is completed.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as
time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will
continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Backup & Resto
http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Ken A" nospaml@nospamnet wrote in message
...
When I go of line and try to compact All Folders, then on the Inbox and
Deleted Items the compacting stops and I get a message "Another program is
using this folder". Then the compacting stops on these two folders.
Anyone
have any idea what is causing this?

Thanks for any insight on this matter.
Ken A.